Essay: Compare and Contrast how the technical codes (M-E-S, sound, camera, and lighting) represent the bride in the two scenes in Kill Bill volume 2.

We can compare how the technical codes (mes en scene, sound and lighting) are used to represent the bride in different ways throughout the two coffin scenes from Kill Bill.

In scene one, the coffin comes across to the audience as being smaller and extremely claustrophobic. This is due to the camera positioning, whereby a large quantity of the scene is shot using a close up of her face, this consequently produces a feeling of intensity.  The lack of an establishing shot also gives the illusion of the coffin being smaller and recreates the brides feeling of disorientation. This can be contrasted to the wide shot, demonstrated in scene two. The camera is shot from one end of the coffin, enabling the entire space to be scene. This gives the illusion that the coffin is more spacious, producing a more optimistic outlook to the scene.

 This notion is reinforced through the lighting, where high key yellowish light is produced by her torch, alongside a key light. There is also a pan shot, following her torch where she shines the light in all four corners of the coffin using a high key light. This creates the notion of the coffin being more spacious, as the audience can physically see the whole space. The yellowish tone of the lighting also produces a more optimistic and hopeful outlook to the scene. We can contrast this, to the lighting used in scene one. The torch produces an expressive, white, low key lighting with a short range, producing heavy shadows and conveying a dark, expressive mood. This gives the audience an insight into what the bride is experiencing, producing a feeling of horror. For large quantities of the scene, the method of darkness is used. From when we see the nails being hammered into the coffin, the light is gradually distinguished. This blocking of the light signifies her almost certain death and her rapidly fading hope.  This method is extremely successful as it draws the audience in, displaying on the screen the horrors of what she is experiencing.

This notion is reinforced due to the sound of her heavy breathing and panting, which amplifies and gets louder throughout the scene. There is also a lack of background music in order to heighten the tension and sustain a focus on the emotions of the bride.  This gives the audience an insight into her fear and desperation whilst retaining a feeling of claustrophobia. This is contrasted with western style, non diagetic, upbeat background music in scene two. The pace of the music begins slow and amplifies and increases in volume throughout. This symbolises the bride’s newly hopeful mindset, and prepares the audience for her escape. She also begins to narrate to herself, this indicates that now, she is in control. This determined attitude is also highlighted due to the amplified noise of the bride grunting, whilst she punches through the roof of the coffin. Her pain and courage to continue is highlighted through the mes en scene, where the use of blood is shown on the ceiling. Her smiling, yet pained facial expression also highlights her determination and positive mindset, whilst, from the blood, we can clearly see her pain.

The hardship that she is experiencing is also highlighted through a point of view shot, whereby the audience can see the dirt falling onto her face, from her perspective. This creates a frightening, claustrophobic feeling, putting the bride into an even stronger light. We can contrast her determined acting expression in scene two, to her distressed hopeless expression in scene one, where she is sobbing and screaming in horror. Her acting also signifies her frustration and her lack of control and her low status in this scene.

This feeling is reinforced due to the mis en secene and camera shot at the beginning of the scene, where the man is positioned to be looking down on the bride, this signifies his hierarchy and power over her. This can be contrasted with her position of victory at the end of the scene, when we see her sudden fist piercing through the soil, along with the heavily trumpeting background music when she escapes. The wide angle shot at the end of the scene, showing her in a graveyard further glorifies her escape, indicating that she has narrowly missed her death. The costuming of her dirty grassy clothes after her escape, also glorifies her as it highlights the aggravation and pain that she has experienced. 

Overall, I feel that the use of technical codes puts the bride into two extremely different lights in the scenes. This is due to changes in the camera positioning, sound, lighting and the mis-en-scene. In scene one, the bride comes across as a powerless, weak, terrified victim. However in scene two, due to the technical changes, she is portrayed as a strong, capable heroine.